Late Night Call
by The Cheshire Cheese
Summary: Ezri Dax gets a late night call from an old woman named Sarah. Sarah has been living under a fake name, on a far away colony. Decades ago, Sarah was possessed by an alien who made her marry a man she didn't love, and conceive a son she didn't want. She faked her own death to get away. Was what the Prophets did fair to her? Finally, Sarah Sisko gets to share her side of the story.


**A/N: This story does not necessarily fit with the "Deep Space Nine" re-launch novels, though there will be some nods. If memory serves, novels aren't "canon" anyway.**

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Ezri Dax wasn't quite sure if things had been getting quieter on Deep Space Nine since the end of the Dominion War or if she'd just become used to being a joined Trill living in the middle of an alien melting pot and political hotspot. It did seem though that for the first time in years, the really big news was happening far away from Deep Space Nine. The U.S.S. Voyager's return to the Alpha Quadrant, the defeat of the Borg Collective, and Captain Janeway's promotion to admiral…and then, not a year after all that, Captain Picard's run-in with the Remans, the Federation's new peace with the Romulan Empire, and the death of the famed artificial intelligence Data.

Ezri's thoughts were interrupted by a soft chirping. Opening her eyes, she saw her upside-down quarters, with her desktop monitor blinking on the table. Ezri came down from her headstand, and answered the call.

On the screen was an elderly human woman, with closely cropped gray hair. She looked like she was from the same part of the planet as Captain Sisko (or her and Sisko's ancestors at least). She was dressed in civilian clothes, casual but fashionable (a violet top over an emerald colored undershirt, with colorful beaded earrings). Ezri thought she looked like an artist. The woman's grim expression clashed with her bright attire. Ezri, who'd been about to greet the call with her usual bubbly cheer, quickly took a more formal tone.

"Counselor Ezri Dax. What can I do for you?"

Ezri had never seen this woman before, but Deep Space Nine was enormous. She assumed that this was just another one of the many civilians aboard the station, and one of the people Ezri had committed to help with her consoling skills.

"Hello Counselor," the woman said in a low, husky voice. "My name is Bethany Phoenix. I'm on the Taloris Colony, but I'll be boarding a transport for Deep Space Nine in two weeks. I was hoping I could book an appointment with you, after I arrive."

The Taloris Colony was a ways away. Not an absurdly long distance, but long enough for Ezri to wonder why Bethany Phoenix wanted to come to DS9. Taloris was closer to Deep Space Seven, if memory served. Well, Bethany probably had relatives on DS9, or a new job, or both.

"Sure." Ezri said with a one-shouldered shrug. "But if there's anything you want to talk about right now Bethany, I'm not going anywhere tonight."

"I'd rather not bother you this late."

It was hard to tell if Bethany was just being modest, or if she really wasn't ready to talk about it. The woman was guarding her emotions almost as well as a Vulcan.

"2100 Hours isn't 'late' for me," Ezri assured her. "But if you're not ready to talk about it right away I completely understand Bethany—do you prefer Bethany, or Beth…?"

Bethany was silent for a moment. "Bethany isn't my real name."

"Oh," Ezri said awkwardly. "I understand, you want to remain anonymous. I won't ask—"

"But most people do call me Beth. I've been using that name for decades now."

_Ah_. This was going to be an interesting patient, Ezri could tell. She allowed "Bethany" to continue.

"My name…was Sarah Matiba."

The woman's face and voice were flat and controlled, but Ezri caught subtle signals in her face and inflictions, that told her Sarah was frightened. Sarah probably hadn't revealed this information to anyone in a very long time.

"Actually," Sarah went, "My legal name, last time I lived on Earth, was Sarah Sisko."

Ezri's eyes widened.

Benjamin had confessed to his old friend, shortly before the last battle of the Dominion War, what his father had told him about his true parentage.

"_Sarah_ Sisko?" Ezri repeated.

Bethany—or Sarah—stared at Ezri for several seconds before answering. "Yes."

Looking at Sarah's face, Ezri realized she might be looking at Benjamin's sparse eyebrows, and heavy-lidded eyes.

"Have you…heard of me?" Sarah asked, almost timidly.

Ezri gave a little nod. "I'm a close friend of Benjamin," Sarah's eyes narrowed just slightly. "He told me you were his biological mother," and here, Sarah's expression slackened. "He didn't tell me much," Ezri finished. "Actually—I thought he told me that you—that his birth mother had passed away."

"Yes," Sarah said. "I reported my own death. I wanted Joseph to think I was dead." She cocked her head. "What were you told about me, Counselor?"

Ezri wasn't sure how much she should give away. What Benjamin had told her was very personal information. But on the other hand, this woman had the right to know what her own son knew about her, what people were saying about her.

"Benjamin told me that his biological mother was a woman named Sarah Sisko. He was raised by his father Joseph, and his stepmother Judith. Benjamin thought Judith was his birth mother, until just a year or so ago when his father told him the truth. I don't really know anything else, except that Joseph went searching for you after you left, and found out you'd died somewhere on the other side of the planet. I have a feeling there might be more to the story, but Benjamin never told me."

"He told you this, as a patient, or a friend?"

"As a friend."

Sarah looked down. "I used to think about having children one day, but it was never something I was terribly interested in. Or marriage for that matter."

Ezri thought she knew what Sarah was implying. Carefully, Ezri said, "But…Joseph was."

Sarah blinked, and slowly shook her head. "He had to be coaxed."

Ezri was confused now. "So…whose idea was it?"

Quietly, Sarah said, "I've never yet figured."

This woman was almost speaking in riddles.

"Why don't you start from the beginning," Ezri offered. "Where did you say you were from, Sarah?"

"I didn't. But I'm from Earth. Kenya's where I grew up. I wanted to travel the planet, taking holophotos and writing. Travel the galaxy someday, maybe." Her eyes shifted away from Ezri. "I was thirty one when it came over me. I was working in Taiwan, photographing some temples. I felt something…take over my body. Everything became hazy after that, like a dream. Lasted for…over a year I'd say. I found myself on my way to the States. Didn't know why. It just seemed like the right place to be. I _liked_ it, the feeling I had inside me...like I was doing something very important, but very easy at the same time."

Ezri was tempted to ask if Sarah had suffered any injuries, or taken any drugs, but decided to let the woman finish first.

"I found my way to New Orleans, and met a man named Joseph. I was…_obsessed_ with him. He was the most important person I knew, more important that my parents or brothers, my best friends. I talked him into marriage, and I became pregnant almost immediately after. When that baby was born, I felt my mission in life had been accomplished. And then," Sarah motioned with her lips, making a silent _poof_. "It was gone. Like waking up from a long, _long_ sleep. There I was, suddenly married to a man I knew virtually nothing about, who I wasn't the least bit attracted to. With a baby boy who," Sarah's eyebrows turned up sorrowfully. "Who, try as I might I, just couldn't…see _myself_ in. I _like_ children, so I thought, I have one now, that's not all bad is it? I wasn't sure if he was even my own. I remembered carrying and birthing him, but only vaguely. He might've had my eyes, he definitely had my father's ears, but…I just didn't feel any connection to him. It was almost as if I'd birthed someone else's child for them, and just loaned some of my genes for the project. I tried to stay in the marriage for the boy, since I figured he needed a mother. And hell, it wasn't _his_ fault I regretted marrying his father..."

Ezri's eyes were contorting with sympathy for the woman.

"But it was driving me mad, not knowing how it all happened. And Joseph, just acting like he thought we were still so in love…I thought, if I could just get _away_ for a while, and figure it out...but Joseph came looking for me, and I panicked. I was _angry_. I was angry at him, even though he didn't do anything. I _hated_ him. I said to myself, that's _it_. I was living in Australia for a while, and I knew eventually Joseph would find me. So I packed my bags, and bought a place on Delvoris III. Day before I left, I called the news, and asked to include the obituary of a 'friend,' Sarah Sisko. I thought if Joseph found that, he'd let it all drop. Guess it worked."

"What about your _family_?" Ezri asked.

"I was already alienated from them. Since I married Benjamin. Id' married him so suddenly, my parents were hurt I'd never even told them I had someone 'till after the fact. My two brothers were suspicious. After I got away, I wrote home. Told them I needed some space. After I took off from Earth, I let them know I was still alive, but asked them not to tell anyone where I was. I lied, told them that Joseph and I'd divorced. Never even mentioned the baby to them. I was afraid, if I told them the truth, they would think I was crazy and have me put away. Or else they might think Joseph must've drugged me or something and had the law after him. _He_ didn't do it, I'm certain of that. He's wasn't a bad guy…he was a chef! Anyway, I'm an _artist_, so I've drugged _myself_ plenty. I know the difference. This wasn't drugs, this was...something else." Sarah fell silent. Finally, she offered a small shrug, her hands weaved together on the table. "I don't know what else to tell you.

Ezri chose to speak professionally, but carefully. "If I had to guess, I'd say it sounds like a possible case of alien possession."

"That's exactly what my husband said." Seeing Ezri's expression, Sarah added, "My second husband. After Joseph."

Ezri made a silent _oh_ and nodded. "Does he know the whole story?"

"He did, yes."

Ezri was about to offer condolences, ask when he died, but Sarah didn't give her the chance.

"He was an artist like me. Sculptor. A Vulcan. I told him, back when we were just friends. I ran into him maybe ten years after I'd first run away from Earth. We were both teaching at an art school on the Teloris colony. Nordok was my closest friend, the only one I could really talk to. Turned out, he had a few skeletons in the closet of his own. We wound up relying on each other so much, we," she raised one eyebrow. "decided it would be logical to get married."

"Were you happy together?"

"Oh my yes. I felt freer than I'd ever felt in years. I finally had someone to leak my secrets to, so I didn't have to just carry them around with me. I got back in contact—regular contact I mean—with my family. Told them about my wedding in advance this time, so they could all come. That whole botched marriage with Joseph just was a part of the family's past. Bethany Phoenix, I told them, was a new name I picked for my photography career. A sort of artist's pen name. They still all called me Sarah, but accepted the name change."

"So you got a normal life again."

"Weeell," Sarah looked to the side, with a jokingly conspicuous expression. "As 'normal' as two artists on Teloris, who weren't exactly stickers for the rules."

The Teloris Colony was known for having a very wild art scene.

Ezri narrowed her eyes. "Well now you've got to share it, you've got me on the edge of my seat."

Sarah leaned in towards the screen. "This is confidential?"

"Yes. I don't report anyone to security, except in extreme circumstances."

"But nothing related to, say…a war that's been over for about five years?"

"Nope. Not that that narrows it down."

Sarah chuckled. "That's right, there've been a few wars out here haven't there. Well I'm talking about the Maquis. Nordak and I sympathized. People who have something stolen from them they spent their whole lives working for, I couldn't _not_ sympathize. We helped run food and supplies, and we also sheltered a lot of them temporarily in our home. I met a lot of people who knew the famous ones, like Michael Eddington and Chakotay."

"Eddington!" Ezri's eyes bulged. "Sarah, you may not know this, but Eddington, he served with yo—that is, he served here on DS9, with Benjamin."

Sarah nodded, her smile gone. "Yes. I know." She sighed. "I found out seven years ago, about Commander Benjamin Sisko taking command of Deep Space Nine. Soon as I heard the name on the news, I thought 'could it be?' I looked him up, and the age matched up. Picture looked like it could damn well be him. I didn't want anything to do with him at first. Nordok thought I should try to contact him but I didn't want. Then the Dominion War broke out, and after that it was a moot point. No civilian could get near DS9, even if they were crazy enough to want to."

"What changed your mind?"

Sarah looked sad, but retained that stoic calm. "Our colony was attacked by the Dominion, late in the war. Nordok was killed. The following spring my brother died. My other brother was already gone, and both my parents. I'm a last-born you see. I do have family on Earth, but we're not close. I thought maybe, when the war was over, I'd take Nordok's advice and track down Benjamin. 'Till I found out it was too late."

Ezri offered, "It might not be. Kasidy said Ben told her—she had a vision anyway—where she spoke to him, and he told her he'd be back." Ezri's mouth opened, shocked at her own forgetfulness. "Sarah, Benjamin, he has family on this station. His son Jake, and his wife Kasidy, and their daughter Rebecca. She's four now."

"I recall reading, he had a son. Didn't know about the daughter."

Both women were silent for several moments.

"Sarah, when you're at the station, I'm sure they'd love to meet you."

Sarah nodded. "I'm thinking…I'll also talk to some of the Bajorans…I hear-talk the Bajorans consider him some kind of a messiah, or, or,"

"Emissary." Ezri answered.

The Trill looked away from the monitor for a moment, as a new thought crossed her mind.

_Emissary_…

Ezri had a hypothesis, about who exactly might have possessed Sarah all those years ago. She suspected it was one of the Prophets, the highly advanced aliens dwelling in the Bajoran wormhole that the Bajorans worshiped. But the idea that such an alien would go as far as Earth, and choose to possess Sarah, was very far-fetched. Either way, it was nothing at this point but a hypothesis and Ezri wasn't going to burden Sarah with it at this time. As a counselor it wouldn't be right. But, perhaps, speaking with the Bajorans might lead Sarah to ask the question herself.

Another thought struck Ezri.

"When you talk to the Bajorans," Ezri warned, "A lot of them see Ben as a religious figure. You might find them kind of…well frankly, kind of upsetting to talk to. I mean, I'm afraid some of them might view everything you went through as something out of a legend, or…you know."

Sarah looked down. "I see."

Ezri leaned forward. "Colonel Kira, the head of Deep Space Nine, she's a Bajoran. And a very reasonable person. And she's also very empathetic." Ezri added, "Nerys is another friend. Anyway, Colonel Kira…well she's religious, but she's not exactly extreme about it. She'd listen to your story and hear it the way I did. If you're going to talk to the Bajorans I'd start with her."

"I have a feeling this is going to be an interesting visit." Sarah mused.

Ezri wasn't sure what the appropriate response to that would be.

"Well," Sarah said, in the tone of voice that indicated the conversation was coming to an end. "It's getting about close to my bedtime."

"Sarah, when you're here—or even before you're here—if you ever want to talk to me, just give me a beep."

"Thank you Counselor. You don't know what a relief it's been, to talk to someone before I showed up."

"No problem. And it's Ezri."

Sarah smiled. "It was good to meet you Ezri. Thanks for listening."

"Any time Sarah."

The monitor went black.

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**A/N: I wrote this because I was very unhappy with how Sarah Sisko was treated, both by the writers of the show and the other characters. What happened to Sarah could almost be considered a form of sexual assault. And even if not that, just the fact that she had one year of her life stolen from her, and entered into marriage and parenthood without her own consent, is awful. And then the writers just killed her off in a cheap way, so they wouldn't have to address the consequences of what had been done to her. **

**I might continue this story, and go on to have Sarah meet the other Siskos. Or I may just leave it as a oneshot. **


End file.
